Francis Kurkdjian, «This collection is a tribute to the original Eau de Cologne, which was historically destined for both men and women. Thus, all the Aqua Collection fragrances are gender-neutral»
Aqua Media Cologne Forte, the latest addition to Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Forte line
Among the latest editions of the French fragrance house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, comes Cologne Forte. A collection of gender-neutral fragrances that are a continuation of the perfumer’s original Aqua Universalis catalogue.
The line took over with three fragrances: Aqua Universalis, Aqua Vitae and Aqua Celestia. The collection is inspired by the motto ‘Mens sana in Corpore sano’, the ideal on which Francis Kurkdjian based the Aqua Cologne forte fragrance. As water and light are the lymph of life, this collection aims at transmitting the sensation of freshness «which was already in the genesis of the original eau de toilette fragrances».
The fourth addition to the collection, Aqua Media Cologne Forte, was just released in 2023. A fragrance that wants to find the meeting point between light and freshness. The color chosen for the bottle in this case is green, the center of the rainbow – a natural phenomenon born from the meeting of light and water.
Aqua collection and the history of the cologne
Kurkdjian’s original Aqua collection was dreamed up in 2009 with the launch of its eponymous fragrance house. The fragrance was created with a desire to modernize and reinterpret the original eau de cologne, a scent which has had an enduring legacy for well over three hundred years.
Eau de cologne was created at the end of the 17th Century and was originally composed citrus orange blossom and other aromatic notes like lavender, thyme, and rosemary. It was a lightly dosed formula with a fresh sillage.
In the time that it was created, it was an all-natural product that offered therapeutic qualities beyond just its scent, as it was commonly ingested and used for several ailments. Commonly used in bathing rituals, eau de cologne also came to be associated with the idea of cleanliness in the 1800s.
The ‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ mantra
As the years progressed the cologne evolved to give birth to a family of ‘fresh fragrances’ that were defined by their silages. For perfumer Kukrdjian, it’s the multiple facets and varied olfactory expressions of this scent that have led him to further play with this ideal of freshness by creating a series of fragrances that not only smell good, but also make one feel good.
«The main inspiration behind this collection can be summarized with this Latin quote ‘mens sana in corpore sano’ – a healthy body in a healthy mind. I wished to reconnect with the tradition of the Eau de Cologne which, in its original form, was also drinkable. So, freshness was emotionally and physically linked to cleanness. It was meant to make you feel good, spiritually, and physically. On top of smelling good, I wanted to use this idea to create a visible ‘inside-outside’ effect».
To achieve this effect Kurkdjian uses bergamot from the southern Italian town of Calabria as the basis for all Aqua scents and plays with different ingredients and accords without distorting the original inspiration to deliver a range of fragrances that embody the inspiration behind the collection.
The Forte collection at Maison Francis Kurkdjian
While rooted in the same simplicity of Aqua Universalis, the Forte collection comes with an added intensity and strength of silage. And it’s not just the intensity that changes, but also a reharmonization of the formula happened in the year 2021. This is something the perfumer likens to a musical harmony.
«The melody remains the same, but you hear the composition more intensely, it becomes more exciting because it fills more space. The same principle applies to these fragrances, the concentration of which has been increased so as to find the right balance between freshness and a lasting trail. I think the result confirms the olfactory signature of each inspiration».
The first cologne in the collection, Aqua Universalis cologne forte explores the notion of «whiteness pushed to the extreme» – a projection of radiance enveloping the air. This it achieves with its blend of Calabrian bergamot, white musk, Damascus rose and a bouquet of white flowers, reconstituted syringa, freesia and lily of the valley, as imagined by Kurkdjian.
The bottle design too maintains the whiteness and transparency that the scent conveys. «I had a clear vision for each of the fragrances. I wanted to explore the idea of power and strength for cologne. For Aqua Universalis, I wanted it to convey a breath of fresh air and the feeling of cleanliness». The second scent in the collection, Aqua Vitae cologne forte symbolizes «the sun at its peak with a floral blaze crossed by a surge of hot air» for the perfumer.
Aqua Celestia Forte, the third fragrance of the Aqua Cologne Forte line
Aqua Celestia Forte, according to Kukrdjian, is about «the encounter between the blue hues of the sea, the sky, and the horizon». The story of Celestia comes through as bergamot takes on the fruity notes of blackcurrant, mimosa (with its raspberry and blackberry notes), jasmine, hints of strawberry, apricot, and peach, merging with a sweet musky accord. In its translucent blue gradation, the bottle symbolizes the sea and a flight towards the horizon.
True to the house’s style the Cologne Forte collection is defined by minimalism. «Minimalism is like a motto – simplicity is key to convey a message at its peak». This is why Kurkdjian takes care not to load the fragrances with too many ingredients and chooses instead to communicate the feeling of the fragrance through a subtlety that has come to define his olfactory catalogue through the years.
Furthermore, for each of the bottles, color coding aside (the house is never known to do colored bottles), the design elements come together to complete the story through «the cases that are soberly underlined with a stroke of color which are meant to symbolize the architecture of each note. The shade mirrored in the upper interior part of the case. And lastly, the cap, which with its transparency conveys a feeling of lightness» notes Kurkdjian.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian gender neutral scents
A question in perfumery seems to be the gender of a perfume. Is it masculine? Feminine? Unisex? Kurkdjian offers gender neutral scents, allowing the individual to embody and envision the gender of the fragrancec for themselves. Being a tribute to the original cologne waters, Kukrdjian insisted on keeping it neutral. The original formula was always intended for men and women.
Always one to push boundaries and challenge ideas, the perfumer is of the belief that raw materials have no gender. They are merely shaped by the perfumer’s know-how on how to use the olfactory facets of certain materials in combination to reveal personality.
«Maison Francis Kurkdjian is a fragrance house of freedom. Freedom of creation first but also of wearing the fragrance you want without being judgmental. This collection is a tribute to the original Eau de Cologne, which was historically destined for both men and women. Thus, all the Aqua Collection fragrances are not only gender-neutral, but they are suitable for all on all the continents».
Kurkdjian’s creative process: «I don’t have any rules»
For Kurkdjian, the process of creation is a tedious one. It could take up to eighteen months to create a scent. There’s a period of reflection during which the perfumer thinks and imagines different fragrance accords. This is followed by naming the fragrance as the perfumer likes to work with the name in mind. It helps to give him a clear idea on how to channel his emotions.
Once the groundwork is done, Kurkdjian begins composing and creating the formula in his laboratory. «For me, I don’t have any rules and never restrain myself from having any. The only thing I need to be inspired by is an emotion, a feeling or wonderment». And in this case Kurkdjian’s feelings have taken us on a journey that offers an escape to three different worlds. The need to journey to faraway places at a time when actual travel has come to a standstill is a sentiment felt by people across continents.
Aqua Cologne Forte, Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Maison Francis Kurkdjian was born in 2009 from the encounter between Francis Kurkdjian and Marc Chaya, co-founder and president of the fragrance house.
The Aqua Cologne Forte collection, imagined as early as 2009, was brought to life in the first place with three fragrances: Aqua Universalis, Aqua Vitae and Aqua Celestia. In 2023 Aqua Media was added to the collection, a green touch in the rainbow of translucent colors that represent the mix of water and life.
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